Late Nights with the Baby
by Wordsorcereress
Summary: A late night challenge to get your precious baby to sleep, a snapshot of life. (Soft!) Gift for Virdis. Story Features Denzel from FFVII


Leon sighed as Cloud groaned into his shoulders, the blond already groping for the corner of the blankets to get out of bed. Leon caught that hand and brought it to his mouth, he kissed there and murmured "I'll get him."

Cloud gratefully yawned and snuggled back into the covers, "Mm'kay."

It was only fair, Cloud had taken the shift last night ...

Groaning himself, Leon got out of bed and tried not to smile when he heard his husband complain inverbally at the cold he left when the blanket was disturbed. Leon trudged to the corner of the room and cooed gently as their sweet little son hiccuped and squawked in his baby pink blanket. The crib painted white by their friends and covered in stickers for a childish touch.

Leon recalled how they were so in the dark about what sex their child would be that their coloured blankets ranged across an entire pastel rainbow, tonight was pink to match the pink cheeks and nose.

He wiped the little nose now to clear it before he lifted his son into his arms.

"Hey," he whispered as he brought Denzel up to his chest, the babe squirming in his blankets until he was suitably swaddled again. "Shh," he stroked one chubby, wobbly cheek with a fingertip as he began to sway, "It's okay, Daddy's here," he cooed.

Denzel's cries ebbed away with the prolonged contact, his face relaxing and his eyelids becoming heavy. He snuggled against Leon's chest, as he did with most adults he was held by. Leon sometimes wondered if he was listening for a heartbeat, the lack of shirt would help him tonight.

Leon found his pacifier in the mound of blankets and plushies and the baby looked about ready to suck himself to sleep. Except, the moment Leon bent over to put him to bed those baby blues flew open and his cheeks wobbled with slight panic, wide awake and ready to cry should Leon commit to placing him back into his pillowed cage. Leon raised an eyebrow at him as he stood straight, his son meeting his eyes as if to make sure he'd stay.

The weary parent sighed, "I need to sleep too, sweetheart." He cradled his son to his chest and tilted his head back, thinking about the alarm that would go off in four hours. Bone tiredness was already seeping into every joint and muscle, making him feel twice as heavy as normal.

Denzel continued to blink up at him, Leon brushed his fluffy soft hair back from his eyes. "Go to sleep," he encouraged, doing everything that normally calmed his tiny son to no success. His child was still so against sleeping in his crib.

So sleep deprived, Leon didn't realise that Cloud had gotten up until his husband wrapped him in his arms. Cloud kissed his jaw, uncoordinated as he'd been aiming for his lips …

"Need to shave," he commented with a slight slur.

Leon felt his jaw with the many spikes of stubble and realised Cloud was right.

Cloud tugged at his pajama pants, "Come to bed, both of you," he sighed, turning to the blankets he'd already made a cradle out of in their bed.

Leon was too exhausted to protest. He handed Denzel to Cloud and tucked his family in, their larger hands covering Denzel's chest so he would know they were with him, protecting him.

Moments later the baby was out like a light, gently snoring through a squishy, tiny nose.

Leon leaned his forehead against Cloud's with his eyes closed, "Can't keep doing this every night." Even as he said that though, his hand was rubbing gentle circles over Denzel's chest, feeling his heat and fast little heartbeat. His son, his child …

Cloud kissed him, their lips meeting clumsily, "Just sleep," he cooed, as if still speaking to Denzel, "We'll worry about the lack of discipline when we can think properly."

"Sounds good," Leon breathed back, sleeping himself before he realised what he'd agreed to.

Cloud smiled, kissing Leon's lips again as he slept, having heard every sweet thing his husband had said to their son. Unable to help himself though he knew he needed sleep as much as Leon did.

It was his family and, he tightened one hand around Leon and one gently around Denzel, he didn't want to miss a moment.


End file.
